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OBSERVATIONS <br />PERMIT #: M- 1983 -132 <br />INSPECTOR'S INITIALS: SIR <br />INSPECTION DATE: April 18, 2012 <br />This was a normal monitoring inspection of the DeWitt Excavating Pit, File No. M- 1983 -132, operated by <br />DeWitt Excavating. This site is located approximately 1 1/2 miles southwest of Lamar, Colorado in Prowers <br />County. I, Stephanie Reigh of the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining and Safety (Division) conducted <br />the inspection. Mr. Dustin DeWitt of DeWitt Excavating accompanied me on the Inspection. <br />This is a 110c mining operation with 9.9 permitted acres. The mine entrance sign was posted at the gate to <br />the site, however, it was illegible. This issue is cited as a problem at the beginning of this report and will <br />require corrective action to be taken by the Operator. <br />It appears no mining activity has occurred at the site in a long time. In fact, there are ATV and motorcycle <br />tracks throughout the permit area. Mr. DeWitt explained to me that there is a county owned motorcycle track <br />on the adjacent property and the recreationalists come over to the property and ride their recreational <br />vehicles in the pit area. He also admitted that he does ride his motorcycle with his son in the pit area as well, <br />but infrequently. <br />Mining appears to have started in the southwest corner of the permit area and is moving northeast. The <br />excavation is difficult to distinguish from the surrounding area. Small cuts made into the surrounding <br />topography and many stockpiles of various sizes are located throughout the pit. This area does not appear to <br />have been disturbed in a very long time, except for the motorcycle and ATV tracks. Several piles of old asphalt <br />were observed throughout this area. Offsite material is not to be stored in the permit area unless it is outlined <br />in the approved mining plan, which it is not. This issue is cited as a problem at the beginning of this report <br />and will require a corrective action to be taken by the Operator. <br />Based on the Divisions records there has been some discrepancies in the annual report and maps submitted <br />by the Operator. The annual report submitted on May 8th, 2000 stated that mining had taken place in the <br />northeast corner of the permit area. The same area was claimed to have been mined in 2011 in the latest <br />annual report and map submitted by the Operator. In accordance with Rule 3.1.3, each phase of the <br />reclamation shall be completed within 5 years from the date the operator informs the Board or Office that <br />such phase has commenced. Given this, the operator was required to complete reclamation by May 8th 2005. <br />This issue is cited as a problem at the beginning of this report and will require corrective action to be taken <br />by the Operator. The Division will grant the Operator until July 18th 2012 to complete all the steps necessary <br />for reclamation. The Operator will need to grade the pit slopes and excavations to the required 3:1 <br />hortizontal to vertical ratio, remove or grade out the various stockpiles of material, remove the asphalt <br />stockpiles, spread the remaining topsoil and revegetate the site in accordance with the approved reclamation <br />plan. <br />Problems: <br />1.) DeWitt Excavating has not reclaimed the site within 5 years from the date they informed the Office <br />that reclamation began as required by Rule 3.1.3. This is a problem at this time for failure to conduct <br />reclamation in accordance with the approved reclamation plan pursuant to C.R.S. 34- 32.5 -116 (1). <br />a. The Operator must complete all the steps of reclamation, by July 18, 2012. Please submit a notice and <br />photographic documentation of the reclamation once the activities have been completed. <br />Page 3 of 7 <br />